FAA moving some operations to Flagler County Airport

Small staff to work out of old Ginn hangar

Published: Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 4:19 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 11:00 p.m.

PALM COAST — The Federal Aviation Administration will move some of its operations to leased space at the Flagler County Airport after stopping the training sessions at its management center in Palm Coast.

The FAA stopped management training on Dec. 21 at the facility leased from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. And now the FAA has agreed to lease a portion of the old Ginn hangar at the airport for $7,594 per month for one year starting Jan. 1 with an option for a second year, Sally Sherman, deputy county administrator, said in a phone interview and an email on Thursday. If the FAA renews the lease for an additional year, the rent would increase to $7,844 per month.

The agency is leasing 4,400 square feet of office and storage space for "administrative use" with up to 16 staff members in the 14,400-square-foot hangar and office facility, Sherman said.

The FAA can terminate the lease with 90 days' notice.

FAA officials have not responded to an email seeking more information, including what would be the duties of the personnel at the Flagler County Airport.

But the lease means the FAA will maintain some presence in the county even though it stopped training at its Palm Coast facility.

The closure of that facility eliminated 80 to 100 jobs in the city as well as the economic boost from the approximately 150 people who trained there in an average week. The FAA had leased the facility for its Center for Management and Executive Leadership from Embry-Riddle since 1987.

"No more training will occur at CMEL and (its) staff working in Palm Coast ..., " an FAA spokeswoman wrote in an email earlier this week.

Embry-Riddle president John Johnson said this week the FAA will remain at the Palm Coast facility winding down operations until Feb. 4 and then turn the center over to the university. The center's campus at 4500 Palm Coast Parkway SE resembles a hotel with 198 rooms and eight classrooms, as well as a swimming pool.

Johnson said the university does not have any plans to sell the facility and is exploring options. Embry-Riddle has discussed using the facility as part of a joint degree program with Daytona State College, which has a campus nearby, Johnson said.

The FAA said last month the training that was taking place in Palm Coast would be moved on an interim basis to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City until it begins a new training program in fall 2013.

Now the FAA's new, smaller home in Flagler County will house local operations for at least a year. The county built the $2 million hangar and office at the airport for Ginn Development, the original developer of the Hammock Beach Resort, which signed a 20-year lease in 2006. But Ginn stopped paying its $18,385 monthly rent in May 2009. The county still owes approximately $1.5 million on the construction loan for the building.

The airport staff is handling the leasing of other space in the hangar, which is producing about $1,000 to $2,000 per month.

In April 2010, the county and Ginn settled a lawsuit that called for Ginn to pay the county $13,000 to cover 2010 property taxes on the hangar and offices. Ginn Development also agreed to pay $7,575 for the county's legal costs. Ginn also lost its security deposit of $16,664.

Palm Coast seemed destined to lose the FAA facility earlier this year. When the FAA put out its initial request for a new training center it drew up a requirement that excluded Palm Coast from even competing to keep the training center.

That's because the FAA's original request specified its new facility be within 25 miles of one of the following airports: Kansas City International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport; Denver International Airport; Los Angeles International Airport; General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wis.; or Orlando International Airport.

Kansas City appeared to be a leading site to land the training center. But then Congressman John Mica intervened and the FAA stopped its search in March. The Winter Park Republican and local officials argued closing down the center in Palm Coast would do further damage to a community already struggling with one of the highest unemployment rates in Florida.

<p>PALM COAST &mdash; The Federal Aviation Administration will move some of its operations to leased space at the Flagler County Airport after stopping the training sessions at its management center in Palm Coast. </p><p>The FAA stopped management training on Dec. 21 at the facility leased from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. And now the FAA has agreed to lease a portion of the old Ginn hangar at the airport for $7,594 per month for one year starting Jan. 1 with an option for a second year, Sally Sherman, deputy county administrator, said in a phone interview and an email on Thursday. If the FAA renews the lease for an additional year, the rent would increase to $7,844 per month. </p><p>The agency is leasing 4,400 square feet of office and storage space for "administrative use" with up to 16 staff members in the 14,400-square-foot hangar and office facility, Sherman said. </p><p>The FAA can terminate the lease with 90 days' notice. </p><p>FAA officials have not responded to an email seeking more information, including what would be the duties of the personnel at the Flagler County Airport.</p><p>But the lease means the FAA will maintain some presence in the county even though it stopped training at its Palm Coast facility. </p><p>The closure of that facility eliminated 80 to 100 jobs in the city as well as the economic boost from the approximately 150 people who trained there in an average week. The FAA had leased the facility for its Center for Management and Executive Leadership from Embry-Riddle since 1987. </p><p>"No more training will occur at CMEL and (its) staff working in Palm Coast ..., " an FAA spokeswoman wrote in an email earlier this week. </p><p>Embry-Riddle president John Johnson said this week the FAA will remain at the Palm Coast facility winding down operations until Feb. 4 and then turn the center over to the university. The center's campus at 4500 Palm Coast Parkway SE resembles a hotel with 198 rooms and eight classrooms, as well as a swimming pool. </p><p>Johnson said the university does not have any plans to sell the facility and is exploring options. Embry-Riddle has discussed using the facility as part of a joint degree program with Daytona State College, which has a campus nearby, Johnson said. </p><p>The FAA said last month the training that was taking place in Palm Coast would be moved on an interim basis to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City until it begins a new training program in fall 2013. </p><p>Now the FAA's new, smaller home in Flagler County will house local operations for at least a year. The county built the $2 million hangar and office at the airport for Ginn Development, the original developer of the Hammock Beach Resort, which signed a 20-year lease in 2006. But Ginn stopped paying its $18,385 monthly rent in May 2009. The county still owes approximately $1.5 million on the construction loan for the building. </p><p>The airport staff is handling the leasing of other space in the hangar, which is producing about $1,000 to $2,000 per month. </p><p>In April 2010, the county and Ginn settled a lawsuit that called for Ginn to pay the county $13,000 to cover 2010 property taxes on the hangar and offices. Ginn Development also agreed to pay $7,575 for the county's legal costs. Ginn also lost its security deposit of $16,664. </p><p>Palm Coast seemed destined to lose the FAA facility earlier this year. When the FAA put out its initial request for a new training center it drew up a requirement that excluded Palm Coast from even competing to keep the training center. </p><p>That's because the FAA's original request specified its new facility be within 25 miles of one of the following airports: Kansas City International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport; Denver International Airport; Los Angeles International Airport; General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wis.; or Orlando International Airport. </p><p>Kansas City appeared to be a leading site to land the training center. But then Congressman John Mica intervened and the FAA stopped its search in March. The Winter Park Republican and local officials argued closing down the center in Palm Coast would do further damage to a community already struggling with one of the highest unemployment rates in Florida.</p>